Tuesday, December 22, 2015

The Museum and Archives will be open regular hours (Monday - Saturday from 10am to 5pm) over the holidays and closed only December 24, 25, 26 and January 1, 2016.
From our staff and our volunteers, we wish you a festive Christmas season surrounded by family and good friends and a New Year filled with good health and much happiness through out the year!

Wednesday, December 9, 2015

The Broad-winged Hawk is a small bird of prey
about 42 centimetres (17 inches) long. Its most distinguishing feature is its
broadly barred tail. In Alberta, the broad-winged hawk ranges in the parkland
and southern boreal forest regions, preferring mixed-wood forests and groves of
deciduous trees. For food, it likes chipmunks, large insects, mice and
squirrels and when hunting it tends to stay in the confines of the woods. It is
protected by the provincial Wildlife Act and classified as a non-game species.

Just when you thought you were out of the woods –
there’s more to explore.

Though it may be uncomfortable for some of us to
think about, fire is nature’s way of recreating. Without fire, organic matter accumulates
and inhibits the growth and establishment of many plant species. Cultural
burning by indigenous people saw fires burned in different locations and times,
which provided important opportunities for renewal and ecological biodiversity
of plants and animals. The problem some of us may have, in this day and age, is
with the Greek god of the northern wind, Boreas. His intervention, on occasion,
has helped spread the fire and endanger life and limb.

This brings us to water, which we use to dissuader the
spread of fire. For this reason and many others, we have a vital relationship
with water – quality and quantity. We all have a responsibility to take care in
what we put into our watershed. It is imperative we protect our natural
resources – soil, water, air, plants, animals and even insects – our watershed,
comprised of the Peace River and its tributaries, which emerged in the wake of
our most recent ice age – 12,000 years ago. In doing so, it created the
largest, in area, water basin in Alberta.

There are other inhabitants of our boreal forest,
which may go unnoticed. Their habit is not to bite or annoy, but instead to
provide all manner of assistance, depending on one’s bent. For some, it’s
medicine, food or a photographic topic. Trees, in the mixed forest, have a
special relationship with certain kinds of soil fungi – which help the tree
collect water and minerals from the soil – did you know soils of the boreal
forest are acidic and because of that, they are not favourable to nitrifying
bacteria.

﻿

The short-eared owl is so named for the tufts of
feathers on top of its head, so small they can only be seen at close range. Its
real ears are hidden under the feathers at the side of its head. It likes open
spaces, such as grasslands and marshes, and hunts primarily during the day
seeking mice and voles. This medium-sized owl winters in warmer climes.

Some plants adapted ways to acquire nutrients
(particularly nitrogen) from animal protein. These carnivorous plants, such as
the Sarracenia picture plant, have evolved mechanisms to lure their prey into a
pool of digestive enzymes. Once trapped in the liquid, these enzymes in the
insect break down, resulting in the plant acquiring the nutrients.

Monday, November 30, 2015

Just a peek into a portion of the Museum’s
boreal forest exhibit featuring diverse aspects of the forest – its birds,
bugs, soils – its ecosystem.

George Berkley asked the question: “If a tree falls
in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?” It depends
on how one interprets sound, don’t you think? It may have to do with another of
our human senses – sight – whether one
can’t see the forest for the trees – where things are so obvious, they’re
obscure. That certainly goes for many of us, who haven’t really seen the boreal
forest so intimately, in our own backyard, or heard how important it is to our
economy – our well-being – our quality of life – our sense of nature – flora
and fauna – so much.

Vernon John Leger is a man of many talents –
music is only one he actively shared with guests, Saturday evening, November 21,
as they strolled through the opening of the Museum exhibit – When a Tree Falls in the Forest.
However, examples of his diverse artwork were featured on the Museum’s art wall
for all to see. “He [Vernon] has grown from generations of creativity: his
parents and grandparents being thoughtful artists and musicians”.

The staff of the Peace River Museum, Archives and
Mackenzie Centre, with the help of so many supporters, is proud to offer some
insight into our boreal forest in its current exhibit When a Tree Falls in the Forest and hopes you will be able to enter
our boreal forest and learn about its inhabitants, just as the staff has over
the months of preparation.

As you stroll through the Museum’s forest exhibit,
you will sense the importance of this forest that extends from the Yukon and
northern British Columbia in the west to Newfoundland and Labrador in the east
– Canada’s largest vegetation zone, making up 55 per cent of the country’s land
mass. It is home to more than 40 species of fish, 50 different types of mammals
and numerous flora and vegetation species.

Although
the zone has varied terrain, including lakes and wetlands, the majority of the
region is dominated by trees. The forest houses a diversity of life, and is
crucial to maintaining biological diversity, storing carbon, purifying air and
water, and regulating the climate. While 2.5 million Canadians live in the
boreal zone, the forest provides a global community with jobs and economic
stability.

Come
to the Museum and learn more about our boreal forest and hear and see the tales
it tells Monday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission $2.Over Christmastime, the
Museum will be closed Dec. 24, 25, 26 and Jan. 1.

Thursday, November 5, 2015

On a fine fall day on the Peace River Museum, Archives and Mackenzie
Centre grounds, a metal tipi in the background, sculpted by artist Sonya
Rosychuk, Peace River Running Club’s Marian Craig presents Museum researcher
Beth Wilkins with a cheque for $4,000. The monies were the running club’s
donation from this year’s Heritage Run.

Each year, for the past 20-some years, the Peace
River Museum, Archives and Mackenzie Centre (Peace River Centennial Museum,
when the run took off) has been the beneficiary of the effort of the Peace
River Running Club, run participants and sponsors.

The annual June event is not only a run – it’s what
participants make it – a run, walk, sponsorship, spectatorship, a get-together
with people not seen for ages and a glorious opportunity to support the museum
and its stewardship of history. This support helps the Museum and Archives not
only be a depository for donated artifacts, but also to display those artifacts
and tell the stories of the people who were associated with them.

Over the years, the number of participants has
increased, as has the monetary benefit to the Museum. Last year, there were seven
teams and 144 individual participants for a total of 179, which
through a portion of their entry fee, yielded a $4,000 donation to the Museum.
This year, the number of participants increased to 220 – eight teams and 180
individual participants, providing another $4,000 to the Museum. It goes to
show – numbers count.

Laura Gloor, Museum co-ordinator, and her staff are
appreciative of the efforts and generosity of the running club and Museum
supporters. The donation provides a means for the purchase of display cabinets
and other items that might not otherwise be possible to enhance the Museum
experience for visitors.

As mentioned earlier, sponsors certainly play a
large role in the Peace River Running Club’s presentation. This year, they
included: Tim Hortons, Mathieu Hyrniuk LLP; InVision Chartered Accountants; Waterworks
Plus; Weaver Welding; Marshall Automotive; Fitness on the Go; Caribou Cresting;
many of which have been there for the running club and the Museum for many
years.

Monday, October 19, 2015

October Artist of the Month Barry Warne with some of his fantastic landscapes

Landscape artist– Barry Warne

The month of October features works from local artist Barry Warne who draws inspiration for his work from his awareness and appreciation of the natural world. His landscapes are evocative of his memories of life in England and of the Peace Country that has become home for he and his familysince 1957.

Acrylics and oils are his choice medium for the detailed farms, valleys and roadways he paints but he also photographs a favorite bird or two.An added feature to each piece is the handcrafted frame and matte that Barry makes himself, as one who enjoys working with wood.

Barry paints for the enjoyment and as a remainder to the viewer to look carefully at the natural world around us. With this large world view, he directs the proceeds of his sales to the Alzheimer’s Society research work.

Works are for sale and can be viewed, without a fee, until the end of October, 2015.

Friday, October 9, 2015

Archaeology Talks!

The Peace River Museum, Archives and Mackenzie Centre is pleased to host Todd Kristensen, archaeologist from Alberta Culture, on October 15th, 2015 between 4pm & 5pm and again from 6:30pm to 7:30pm. Todd is inviting everyone to bring in stone tool and other specimens found in the area.

Todd will talk about four recent projects he has been involved with: ancient fishing research, Alberta’s northern boating, ancient hunting, and sourcing the obsidian quarries from which pieces in the Peace have been found. Todd is also very interested in viewing stone tools found in this area so if you have items, please consider bringing them in to be photographed by Todd.

Obsidian tools found in Alberta from quarries in British Columbia and the US Pacific Northwest.

Saturday, September 19, 2015

Featured for the month of September at the Museum are the diverse works
of local artist Jesse Anne Rovang. As one can see, the term diverse is not used
lightly in describing Jesse’s creative talents.

There
are artists, who seem to be content to work in only a few mediums. There are
artists, who are not content unless they have explored a multitude of mediums
and styles. There are artists, who are not content because there is more to
explore, so little time in which to do it, and so many diverse ways to express
their creative nature.

Well,
Jesse Anne (née Green) Rovang is one, who, since 1971, has not run out of ways to
express her creative talent. The local artist is also Don’s partner in farming,
so the countryside and its inhabitants – whether it be flora, fauna or
equipment – in all seasons, are stimuli.

Although
Jesse’s artwork is diverse, her favourite medium is watercolours. “It is so
gentle and expressive.” That may be true, but she has the audacity to venture
out of her comfort zone into oils, acrylics (she can become one with it),
working with fungi on pulp with blueing (because of the chance she takes each
time), leaves, and found antlers and horns.

Her
works have sold widely and been applauded, not only
locally, but also worldwide and may be seen in many corporate offices
throughout the province and beyond.

Thursday, August 27, 2015

The annual October 4 Sisters in Spirit Walk this
year is a Sunday. The “emotional poignant trek honours missing and murdered aboriginal
women and men across the country”. The Walk is organized by the Peace River
Aboriginal Interagency Committee “to bring awareness, conversation, healing”.

Members of the committee met, recently, at the Peace
River Museum, Archives and Mackenzie Centre to prepare the small red bundles containing
tobacco and prayers, which having been smudged, will be handed out at the
beginning of the Walk.

The Walk begins with a gathering at Riverdrive Mall at
12:30p.m. and proceeds at 1 p.m. along Main
Street to 100 Avenue leading to Riverfront Park. It is here, the bundles will
be placed in a sacred fire and the names read of missing and murdered women – a
bell being rung after each group of names with those in attendance saying,
“Creator hear our prayer”.

Helping, healing hands prepare bundles containing
tobacco and prayers to be handed out at the Sisters in Spirit Walk, Sunday,
Oct. 4, 2015, organized by the Peace River Interagency Committee.

Friday, August 14, 2015

Lt-Col. James Kennedy Cornwall, also
known as Peace River Jim and the Apostle of the North, for his passionate love
of this part of the country returned to Edmonton in 1918 following his service
in the First World War.

He returned to The Villa, a grand
Highlands green and white Tudor mansion, built for his wife, Evelyn, and family
in 1912 “to stand stately on the eastern lip of the Groat Ravine”. He continued
his business ventures, although somewhat thwarted by the stock market crash of
1929. He lost The Villa, but not his resiliency.

James Kennedy's Villa in Edmonton built in 1912. Recently sold for $1.45 million. Photo by John Lucas, Edmonton Journal

Historian and author Hugh A. Dempsey
writes, "Cornwall had made a tangible contribution to the northland and
people loved him for it. Mr. Cornwall had done more to show the world the
country north of Edmonton, said the Calgary Herald, than any government, church
or individual. He believed in it and he preached it, he lived there and he
finally convinced others to try and see if it was not what he said. They have
tried and found it so, and Edmonton is proud of him, and the northland loves
him, and the entire province is glad and proud to know that there lives within
its boundaries a man of such public spirit and absolute confidence as J. K.
Cornwall. "

The Villa, a testament to built
heritage, over the years has housed several owners. Most recently, the 7,000-
square-foot home with three bricks thick walls, exuding “rustic grace and
charm” had been on the market for two years. Even with its historical
significance, it was without a heritage designation. Concern was that even if
the house was sold, it might be demolished. The realtor is quoted: “You can’t
create history and leave a legacy for younger people without leaving these
properties. There’s not enough of that around Edmonton.”

Alas, it was purchased in early August 2015 for
a reported $1.45 million. In addition, the buyer paid between $50,000 and
$150,000 for its antique furnishings. The intent of the buyer is for his family
to live in The Villa, after making a few upgrades and perhaps have it as a Bed
and Breakfast

Tuesday, August 11, 2015

The Peace River Museum contains
in its collection several animal teeth in various stages of fossilization. The
oldest of these are the baby Albertosaurus teeth, which are over 70 million
years old. The Albertosaurus was a fearsome predator that was closely related
to the Tyrannosaurus Rex. When found near Peace River in 1979, they were initially
thought to be bear teeth, but paleontologist Robin Sissons later correctly
identified them in 2011.

Albertosaurus teeth

An excellent fossilized animal tooth that was found in the Heart River was recently brought in on loan to the museum. It is at this time unclear what species it belonged to, but it
bears a striking resemblance to the fossilized bison tooth that the museum has
in its collection, due to both its shape and several distinctive markings. The roundedness of the specimen indicates that it was eroded
and transported down the river for some distance, though by its excellent
preservation we can conclude that it was only recently unearthed from its
burial site.

Mystery fossil find

Fossilized bison tooth

The museum also has a deer tooth
and a sheep tooth that are very recent, as evidenced by their perfect shape and
white, bone-like luster. This is in sharp contrast to the dinosaur and bison
teeth, which have been transformed into rock over vast periods of time.

Sheep tooth (left) and deer tooth (right)

Perhaps the most exciting tooth
in the collection is the massive woolly mammoth molar that was recovered not
too far from Peace River and donated by Dr. Sutherland. Woolly mammoths were
large, hairy elephant-like creatures that went extinct about 10 000 due to
climate change and human predation.

Woolly Mammoth tooth

Water levels continue to remain
low throughout the Peace River region, so new fossil finds will no doubt abound
this season. Be sure to get out there and find some of your own before the long
winter sets in!

Friday, July 31, 2015

Hot summer weather creates low
water levels around the Peace River that bring conditions perfect for fossil
and rock hunting. Local geo-enthusiasts have had great luck this year, so much
so that a new display case has been set up to display these fantastic finds.

Donors
include the regionally renowned amateur rockhound Don Holt, whose great mineral
and fossil collection is still being processed by the Museum. A massive dinosaur bone and a crystalline geode are included from this collection. Some younger
fossil-hunters include Sophie Gustafson, who spotted a 500-million year old
colonial coral on the banks of the Smoky River. Aadam Stalker is a particularly
active collector; his finds in the area include high-quality granite, ammonite fossils and
large gypsum crystals. Hali-Ann Thorpe has located and donated river-eroded ironstone,
quartz and excellent talc specimens. Bill Veidt, featured in an earlier post, has also loaned out his jadeite adze that he found near Peace River.

If
you should be out and spot an interesting rock or fossil, feel free to bring it
in to show us. We may even feature it in the case!

Monday, July 20, 2015

American
paddler more into the silent sports

Bill
Nedderman of Iowa has been paddling the routes of North American explorers and
voyageurs, such as Alexander Mackenzie, DavidThompson, Simon Fraser and Lewis
and Clark since 1998 in his handmade, collapsible canoe outfitted with a small
solar panel to charge one LED light, radio and phone batteries.

This
summer’s journey began at Prince George and on to the Grease Trail, once
travelled by Sir Alexander Mackenzie and his voyageurs, on the way to the
Pacific, assisted by First Nation guides. Bill did not reach the famous Bella
Coola rock which bears the vermilion painted inscription “Alex Mackenzie from
Canada by land 22nd July 1793” because it is only accessible by
boat.

He
hitchhiked back to Prince George where he had left his canoe and supplies.From here he canoed the Nacho River to where
it confluences with the Fraser River and spent 32 hours paddling 27 miles along
the Fraser following Simon Fraser’s route, not Mackenzie’s.

Eventually,
he is on the Peace River downstream from the Bennett and Peace Canyon dams near
Hudson’s Hope, B. C. Taking his time, he reached Peace River seven days later.

During
his travels, Bill tries to set up camp along a river where a tributary enters.
These places usually have flat, accessible land for camping. When in
communities, such as Peace River, he visits the library to use a computer to
catch up on his e-mail and keep in contact with family and friends. In the case
of Peace River, he visited the Museum to conduct some research.

Bill’s
final destination is Fort Chipewyan.

Bill Nedderham in our Museum's Fur Trade Gallery. In the background
is the birch bark canoe built by John Zeitoun in 2001.

Thursday, July 9, 2015

Sue Cloake is featured as the Artist of the Month for July. Sue, a local artist with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the University of Alberta, describes her work as being her "impressions of nature and an exploration of ideas and imagination". This month's exhibit of acrylic paintings of shells from our ancient oceans are both impressionist and expressionist. The colours and repetitive patterns encourage one to imagine the life once housed in these 'houses' of shell and to think of the millions of years ago when the oceans covered this land from the Gulf of Mexico to our northern latitudes. Along with Sue's expression and appreciation of nature's patterning, the Museum has created a small exhibit of actual fossils from that long ago time. These fossils are part of a much larger collection of Don Holt, a well-known rock hound from the Peace. Most of the fossils on exhibit are examples of what an aware hiker with sharp eyes might find along the tributaries of the Peace River.

Additional fossils, along with rocks, from the Don Holt Collection and from other local donors are also on exhibit in the Peace River Gallery this summer. Over the decades, the Museum has been a repository of historically significant items, such as the rocks and fossils, which help tell our story.

Wednesday, June 24, 2015

The Museum is pleased to present an
opportunity to all those interested in learning more about Peace River’s rich
heritage! Guided tours will be taking place throughout July and August at the
St. Augustine Mission Church and downtown Peace River.

The St. Augustine Mission Church is a Provincial
Historic site located along the scenic Shaftesbury Trail. Take a peek inside
the church, walk amongst the headstones, and get a sense of what life at the
mission was like. The site is closed to the public outside of scheduled tour
hours, so take this opportunity to learn about this site’s history and
importance to our community! Another important area for Peace River is the
downtown core.A heritage interpreter
will guide walking tours and provide information about historic buildings,
people, and areas.

Thursday, June 18, 2015

With the arrival of Aboriginal
Day on the 21st of June, the Museum would like to shine a spotlight
on the variety of early First Nations tools and artifacts that have been found
in the Peace River area.

The
First Nations peoples did not work metal. Instead, they used rocks that they
found already present in their natural environment to craft durable tools. Some
examples include spear tips and arrowheads for hunting game, as well as scrapers
for preparing hides to be used in clothing or the building of shelters.

White chert bifacial lanceolate

Banded grey chert lanceolate

The
rocks chosen for tool-making were not picked at random from the ground. The
First Nations people would painstakingly gather special stones called chert
(flint), quartzite and obsidian. These rocks do not contain planes of weakness
in their crystal structure, so instead of fracturing randomly when struck, their
shape could be carefully controlled. This is, of course, provided the striker
possessed sufficient patience and skill. Chert and quartzite were the most
common materials used, and come in a wide range of colours and hues.
Considerably rarer, obsidian is a volcanic glass, and one of the sharpest known
materials. It is usually quite dark and highly reflective. The obsidian scraper
pictured below was likely traded from a distant region, as volcanism and its
products are not typically found in the Peace River area.

Quartzite bifacial scraper

Black obsidian scraper

More
First Nations artifacts can be found in the Archeology Case in the Peace River
Gallery.

Friday, June 12, 2015

As we approach the date of the
Annual Aboriginal Gathering and Pow Wow, the recent donation of a jadeite adze found south of Grimshaw area by
Bill Veidt comes at an opportune time.

Jadeite Adze (on loan from Bill Veidt)

Jadeite
is a variety of jade, a strong and hardy material characterized by its
distinctive green hue. Its strength lends itself well to tool-making, though
the material itself is quite rare. This adze was therefore most likely an object of great importance and prestige. The crafting
of such an device was a labour-intensive process, with countless hours of
sawing, cutting, grinding and polishing. The product of these efforts is a
long-lasting and high-quality tool that is a testament to the skill and
ingenuity of the First Nations craftsmen. The age of this adze could range from
hundreds to thousands of years old. As you can see, it has withstood the test
of time remarkably!

Bill Veidt

While
the majority of jadeite artifacts recovered in Alberta were found in the Peace
River region, most jadeite tools are associated with the west coast of BC. This is
because the First Nations peoples of BC had increased access to quarries and
had developed larger-scale stoneworking and woodcutting practices relative to
the more mobile people of the plains. The geology of BC is also such that
jadeite, a metamorphic rock, forms much more commonly in mountainous regions
raised by plate subduction. It is believed that this stone in particular came
from the Fraser River Valley of BC. So, this tool was likely traded from afar
and had quite a journey before arriving in the Peace Country.

Example of a completed adze

Even
more ancient tools can be found in the Archaeology Case in the Peace River
Gallery of the museum, including chert and even black obsidian artifacts.

Friday, June 5, 2015

With summer
almost upon us, now is the perfect time to turn our eyes to the natural world
and appreciate the beauty of the Peace River landscape. The recent donation of
the Holt Collection of geological artifacts provides a great opportunity to
examine some of nature’s most exciting relics. The Holt collection includes a
diverse array of rocks, minerals and fossils that were collected by Don Holt
throughout his life.

On a hot and sunny Friday morning, the Peace River
museum was lucky to have the help of Don (a different Don!) and Jim, two local
rockhounds, to aid Collections Assistant Rhys in identifying the items in the
Holt Collection and determining their origin. While many were from the exotic
locales that Don Holt had visited during his travels, such as the African agates
and Brazilian opals, many more were found to have originated in the Peace River
area. Don described the intricate crystal structure of the geodes, and Jim identified
many fossil types that he himself had found in the region.

Geode

The Peace
River museum has its own rock and fossil display, which can be found contained
in lighted display cases in the Peace River Gallery.

Monday, May 25, 2015

“We are advised that as a special feature for the
visitors, who will be in Peace River over the 24th of May, the river
boat D. A. Thomas, will make a river excursion on that day, leaving Peace River
at three o’clock in the afternoon. The trip will be for 25 miles up the river,
arriving back at Peace River about 10 o’clock at night.

“There will be an orchestra aboard and provision
will be made for dancing. This will be a very pleasant trip and no doubt will
be availed of by a large number of the visitors in Peace River ...”

The aforementioned advertisement was seen in the May
17, 1926, Grande Prairie Herald. It is imagined that the Boudoir piano (ca.
1904-1915) on display in the Peace River Museum, Archives and Mackenzie Centre
was instrumental in providing music for the dancers on that trip.

Boudoir pianos were designed for people wishing a keyboard
instrument, but who were restricted to a small space. Allan Sproul donated the
piano to the Museum in 1983. His parents, Rowland and Clare, had acquired it
from Ellen Eddie about 1955.

Friday, May 15, 2015

For the first time in forty-four years, Alberta witnessed an
“orange crush” that swept the province into a new provincial government led by
the NDP. Peace River experienced its own Orange Crush much earlier when the new
bottling plant for the famed soda beverage established itself here in the
1920s/1930s. At that time it was located at 9812 100 Ave (where the present day
City on a Hill Church is), and was owned by the Scott Fruit Company.

In 1949, George and Vivian Pratt moved to Peace River and
bought the old bottling depot.They
decided to build a new plant in 1953, and constructed it parallel to Main Street
on 99th Street. Orange Crush at the time cost between 7 and 10 cents
a bottle, and was first bottled in crinkle glass bottles before the standard
glass bottle became the preferred. The depot also bottled Kik Cola, American
Dry, Grape Crush and Root Beer. Deliveries went out to Worsley, Hotchkiss and
around Peace River.

The picture shows the new Orange Crush plant on 99 Street in
the 1950s. Third from the left is Edward Pilkafski, and fifth from the left is
Donny Lovelock. Edward worked at the depot for six and a half years as a
delivery man.

The Pratts sponsored a women’s baseball team during the
company’s operation, and the museum has some of the memorabilia in its
collection, including one of the player’s sweaters.

The Pratts decided to sell the business in 1963, and the
building was remodelled into offices. Though the bottling depot in Peace River
is now no more, many of us still enjoy an Orange Crush pop every now and again.

Friday, May 8, 2015

With the recent arrival of Princess
Charlotte, we thought we would feature this antique soother, manufactured in
1897, as part of our collection and currently on exhibit in the Toy Stories.
The soother was donated 1977 by Jean Hargrave (nee Cruickshank).

Although it appears wooden, the soother is
made from natural rubber, as you would expect from an object meant to go into a
baby’s mouth! Although this material would go on to revolutionize modern
industry in Canada, this rubber was likely imported from South America. The
budding overseas rubber industries closely protected their trade, and exporting
rubber tree seeds from Brazil was even considered a capital offense at that
time.

PRMA 77.759.5

On one face of the soother we can see
a picture of Queen Victoria, the ruling monarch of England during that time.
Despite gaining independence from England in 1867, many Canadians retained fond
memories of their former rulers, and the continued influx of English immigrants
contributed to the enthusiasm towards the Crown. Even 108 years after the
manufacture of the soother, the Royal Family remains ever popular with
Canadians, especially with the recent birth of Princess Charlotte. However, I
don’t think the modern and savvy Prince William would be too happy using the
likeness of his great-great-great-great-grandmother on his daughter’s pacifier!

Tuesday, April 28, 2015

The
River Project Story Members of the Valley Peacemakers Quilt Guild are
continuously challenging themselves. From year to year, the challenges are
different and unique to the Guild. The creative results are displayed in the
Guild’s annual show in the DMI Gallery of the Peace River Municipal Library.

The idea for the River Project quilt artwork now
displayed in the Museum, gelled following a sighting in a book and seeing a
similar installation in Oregon. What better project, with the rivers that merge
in our community, thought Carole Gold, as she issued the challenge to fellow
quilters.

They had a year to prepare for the 2014 Guild show.
It was the Guild’s first group artwork project. What you see is the work of 13
individual quilters (Danya Frank, Jill Wood, Vivian Massier, Carole Gold,
Aralee Tailleur, Hildegard Campsall, Beverly Hafstein Pichette, Lois Laurin,
Margaret Stewart, Carol Scobey, Chris Warne, Alice Olson, Elizabeth Daigle).
They followed the guidelines set out by the issuer of the project challenge.
Each panel is an indication of the artist’s self-expression and creativity.
Each has a story behind its creation.

The Peace River Museum, Archives and Mackenzie
Centre acquired this work of art through donations made in memory of Robert
(Bob) Campsall, as well as a donation from the Campsall family.

Bob delighted in not only living by the Peace River,
but also by watching, with wife Hildegard, its many moods from their living
room window.

﻿﻿﻿﻿

Pictured are: Emily
Harris, granddaughter; Erin Harris, daughter; Hildegard; Patti Campsall,
daughter, and John Errington. The panel behind Erin was created by Hildegard,
featuring an eagle, which the Campsalls used to watch as it and its mate
enjoyed the wind currents over the river.

Thursday, April 16, 2015

Museum blogs usually feature artifacts and their
story or events and the reason behind them. This time, we’ll change it
somewhat. We’ll delve, briefly, into the story of the person responsible for
many of the blogs over the past five years – Museum Collections Technician
Megan Purcell.

Megan came to the Museum well-equipped educationally
and with the experience necessary to meet the challenge of managing the
Museum’s extensive and growing artifact collection, including one of her
favourite subjects – rocks and fossils. In addition, she designed and assembled
the Museum’s displays and featured exhibits. As well, she made presentations to
groups as part of the Museum’s outreach program.

Megan has done so much more. She is renowned for
culinary talents on display at Museum gatherings and for staff special
occasions. Alas, as of the beginning of May, Campbell River, BC, and its Museum
will reap the benefits of Megan’s skills as she moves on professionally and
personally.

She will be missed, not only by those of you she has
assisted during her tenure, but also by Town and Museum staff – her colleagues.

Friday, March 20, 2015

It's a Mad Hatters Party when the Museum and the Toy Library join together for a morning of fun and play! Next Friday, March 27th, 2015, the Museum and the Toy Library (now Peace Playland) are hosting a Mad Hatters Party for children ages 1 - 5, where everyone is invited to wear their favourite hat.

From 10 - 11:30 am, children and their parents or grandparents will be able to play with toys that the Toy Library will bring with them as well as the toys that the Museum has out in our Toy Stories exhibit.

We even have a dress-up station in this exhibit! Of course, once you're wearing your finest dress-up attire, you'll want to strike a pose at the picture station!

We invite you to join us that morning, wearing your favourite hat, for only $2 per child, with $1 each going to the Toy Library and the Museum.

Wednesday, March 11, 2015

The town of Bruderheim recently commemorated the fall and
recovery of the Bruderheim meteorite in 1960. What an impact this arrival from
outer space must have had on the community – especially in light of the ‘race
for space’ that the United States and the USSR were engaged in so tightly. Sky
watchers must have been in awe. Did you know that the Peace River Museum collection
includes a piece of that space rock? It was donated by the Percy Hills family
from Judah Hill district.

Speaking of the Hills family, did you also know that three
years later, the Peace River meteorite came to Earth and that, then graduate
student in geology at the University of Alberta, Len Hills, was part of the
recovery team? The Museum Library includes a report of the collection of
specimens and eye-witness reports. The report (1964) begins:

“Peace
River, as a detonating bolide, entered the Earth’s atmosphere at 4:35 a.m. MST
March 31, 1963, creating a flash visible for over 100 miles, followed by
detonations resembling sonic booms over a 4,000-square-mile area.” It goes on to say that March was "a time of
year and day most unfavourable for recovery. However, this was Sunday morning
and the Peace River country had not quite settled down from a frontier Saturday
night. Peter Karpiak was up, administering to a sick horse; Alfred Bobier was
looking for new-born lambs and calves .... A number of Peace River citizens
were returning from parties. To many slumbering observers it was only an
awakening flash and a bang, which resulted in a prowl of the premises to see if
the oil heater had exploded.”

Further along in the report, the team writes of the recovery
process, which determined that the ellipse of the fall was in the Brownvale
area and it naturally yielded the highest concentration of specimens. One such
sample,labeled Peace River #1and weighing in at 18 pounds, was discovered
by university student John Westgate. “To the folklore of the land of
Twelve-Foot Davis should be added the name of Eighteen-stone Westgate, because
his discovery, like Davis’s rich fractional claim, proved to be an incredible
stroke of fortune.”

If you would like to read more from the report, drop by the
Museum Library between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

(Source: The Peace River Meteorite: Fall and Recovery./
R.E.Folinsbee and L.A.Bayrock, Department of Geology, University of Alberta:
1964)

Saturday, February 21, 2015

The Chinese Lunar Year
just celebrated the Year of the Sheep or Goat with wishes for peace and
humility in 2015.This Blog is in honour
of the Chinese families who contributed to the social, cultural and economic
growth of the Peace Country in the early 1900s right up to today.

Back in 2011, the
Museum hosted a travelling exhibit from the Royal Alberta Museum titled CHOP
SUEY ON THE PRAIRIES. At the time, we were all reminded of the Chinese Canadian
proprietors of restaurants and cafes in the Peace. These families included,
though not exclusively, Dan Soo Der with the Royal Café in Grismshaw; Joe Hong and
Hong’s Restaurant in North Star, Whitelaw then Notikewan; Jimmy Darr out in
Hines Creek with Darr’s Café; Kimlin Der with the Grand Café, the Queen’s Café
and finally the Dragon Inn in Fairview.

In Peace River we remember the families
of Der Ham Lock with the Sun Café then the New Sun Café, Frank Mah at the
Golden Palace Café in the McNamara Hotel, Tom Der Guey at the Dog House and the
New Sun Café, Benny and Janet Wing with the Gueys and other partners
established the Mayflower Café. Most recently the Bob and Sereena Kwan family
with partner Romeo Yu retired from the business TJ’s Restaurant which they established
and operated in Peace River. TJ's Restaurant was well-known for the best Chinese cuisine in Peace River!

Friday, February 13, 2015

It is fitting that Sherri Beattie is our Artist of the Month for February as it is a month to remember the importance of family connections, family activities and family history. Sherri's work will have great appeal for children visiting our current exhibit Toy Stories. She likes to paint images of animals in bright acrylics.

As a member of the Peace of Art artists, she has included three pieces in the Infinity exhibit at the Library Art Gallery. While these works still depict her love of colour, the repetitive patterns she has created are an intriguing departure from her usual subject matter. Take time to walk through this eclectic and expressive exhibit from artists of the Peace of Art club and delight in viewing how creative the folks of the Peace are. Our artists help document who we were and are today as well as provide a commentary about some of the important issues of the time.